Research Information System
ERS congress 2025, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 27 September - 01 October 2025, pp.1, (Summary Text)
Abstract
Objective: This study investigates the role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a biomarker in differentiating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) from non-IPF interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), including fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, post-COVID fibrosis, rheumatic disease-associated ILD, occupational ILD, and unclassifiable ILDs.
Methods: A total of 144 patients diagnosed with IPF and non-IPF ILDs were included. Clinical, laboratory, functional, and radiological data from high-resolution computed tomography were analyzed. NLR was calculated. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro-Wilk test, independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation coefficient, with p<0.05 considered significant.
Results: The study included 47 females (33%) and 97 males (67%), with a mean age of 67.70 ± 8.36 years. Radiological evaluation identified 79 patients (54.9%) with usual interstitial pneumonia patterns, consistent with IPF. The mean NLR for all patients was 2.86 ± 2.36, with medians of 2.45 (IPF group) and 2.19 (non-IPF group). No significant difference in NLR was observed between the two groups (p=0.233). Hemoglobin and platelet levels were also similar (p=0.969 and p=0.136, respectively). Conclusion: NLR, did not significantly differ between IPF and non-IPF ILDs, suggesting it may not be a primary parameter for differential diagnosis. However, its potential utility in patient follow-up or detecting acute exacerbations warrants further investigation. Subgroup analysis within non-IF ILDs will be explored in subsequent phases of this study